Royal commission into child sexual abuse begins

The chairman of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse says more than 5,000 people are expected to share their experiences with the commission.

In his opening address to the commission's first sitting at the Victorian County Court in Melbourne on Wednesday, Justice Peter McClellan said given the scope of the inquiry, it was unlikely the Federal Government's December 2015 deadline would be met.

But he urged victims to remain patient as the commission begins its work.

Justice McClellan started by addressing the sitting on the commission's terms of reference.

"The terms of reference of our inquiry provide, amongst many other matters, that it is important that those affected by child abuse can share their experiences to assist with healing and to inform the development of strategies and reforms," he said.

"The terms of reference direct the commissioners to inquire into the experience of people directly or indirectly affected by child abuse and related matters in institutional contexts.

"And the provision of opportunities for them to share their experiences in appropriate ways, while recognising that many of them will be severely traumatised or will have special support needs."

Justice McClellan says the commission will aim to right the wrongs of the past.

"Although a painful process, if a community is to move forward, it must come to understand where wrongs have occurred and so far as possible, right those wrongs," he said.

"It must develop principles which, when implemented through legislation and changes in the culture and management practices of institutions and the behaviour of individuals, will ensure a better future for subsequent generations."

He says those listening to the individual accounts will be appropriately trained.

"Private sessions will be structured to provide assistance to people in giving their accounts, and arrangements will be made to refer those who may be in need to appropriate counselling services," he said.

But he warns the process will be traumatic for all involved.

"The advice we have received from psychiatrists is that, however robust the listener, persons exposed continuously to the account of these traumatic events are themselves at risk of harm," he said.

"We understand that there are limits upon how many personal accounts a commissioner and the commission staff can safely listen to in any one day."

An initial report is due by mid next year and the Federal Government had requested a final report by the end of 2015.

Justice McClellan admits it is unlikely the commission will be able to complete its work by the Government's deadline.

"It will be apparent that the task defined by the terms of reference is so large, both as to the number of people who may wish to give their account and the number of institutions who may be affected by allegations, that it is unlikely the commission can complete its work within the timeframe currently fixed for delivery of the final report," he said.

Although a painful process, if a community is to move forward, it must come to understand where wrongs have occurred and so far as possible, right those wrongs.

Justice Peter McClellan

"However, I and the commissioners propose to use the time between now and the delivery of the interim report to complete as much of our task as we can, and when that report is delivered, government will be able to make a judgment as to the future course which the commission should take."

Justice McClellan stressed the commission was not a prosecutorial body, but says links have been established with state and territory authorities to which matters may be referred.

He also says it is important to understand the commission will not determine whether any person may be entitled to compensation.

The senior counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness, also delivered an opening statement.

She says people can phone the commission to share their experience, make a written statement, have a private face-to-face hearing, or speak in a public hearing.

She outlined the types of institutions the commission would be investigating.

They include:

Residential care facilities such as orphanages

All religious organisations and their various entities

Recreational and sporting groups

Child care centres

State government child protection agencies

State government departments and authorities, including the police force

"What I want to achieve out of the royal commission is twofold: for the survivors of child sexual abuse, I want this to be a moment of healing, for us to say to them as a nation 'we hear you, you're valued and you're believed' because for too long, so many of these survivors have just run in to closed doors and closed minds," she said.

"And second, I want the royal commission to provide for us recommendations about the future.

"We've let children down in the past as a country - we need to learn what we can do as a nation to better protect our children in the future."

Ms Gillard announced the commission a week after explosive allegations made by a senior detective in the NSW police force.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox alleged in an interview with Lateline last year that the Catholic Church hierarchy protects paedophile priests, silences investigations and destroys critical evidence to avoid prosecution.